DESTABILIZATION OF THE GLOBAL SOUTH AS A PART OF THE RUSSIAN STRATEGY

Abstract

The general foreign policy support of Ukraine by the vast majority of the world’s states and unprecedented sanctions against the Russian Federation force the Kremlin to seek allies among the countries of the global South. This is clearly expressed in the latest edition of the Russian Foreign Policy Concept of 2023.

The article analyzes how the Russian Federation is trying to strengthen its influence in the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular using the examples of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The special role of military-political presence (recruitment of mercenaries and military advisers, destabilization of the political situation and expansion of trade in illegally extracted resources), as well as informational influence, is demonstrated.

In general, Russian policy in the region is formed from three key elements – in- formational propaganda and political strengthening, economic strengthening, military strengthening.

The risks posed by the expansion of the geography of the Russian military presence in the countries of the Global South:

• for local states – the weakening of the security situation, the growth of regional instability, the refugee crisis.

• for Ukraine – the growth of Russia’s influence, Moscow’s access to minerals, the spread of propaganda and the expansion of economic cooperation with the countries of region. This influence could partially cover the impact of sanctions and continue ability to do hold the war;

• for the world – the strengthening of the Russian-Chinese bloc, the weakening of the positions of Washington and Europe in Africa. Also, due to destabiliza- tion in the Sahel region, there is an urgent threat of increasing migration to Europe, diverting attention from the Russian-Ukrainian war.